2016-2017 Contra Costa
County
District Teacher of the Year Representatives

2016-2017 County
Teachers of the Year

Shauna Hawes
Mt. Diablo Unified SD
Valley View Middle

Gina Minder-Maldonado
Oakley Union Elementary SD
Oakley Elementary

2016-2017 County Teacher of the Year Finalists

Shauna Hawes
Mt. Diablo Unified SD
Valley View Middle

Gina Minder-Maldonado
Oakley Union Elementary SD
Oakley Elementary

Summer Rodriguez
Liberty Union High SD
Liberty High

Joyce Rooks
San Ramon Valley
Unified SD
Creekside Elementary

Jamie Cackler Bennetts
Knightsen Elementary SD
Knightsen Elementary

Cynthia BoykoAcalanes Union High SD
Miramonte High

Rachael Byron
San Ramon Valley
Unified SD
Dougherty Valley High

Erin Dinday
Martinez Unified SD
Alhambra High

Krystal Figaroa
Pittsburg Unified SD
Stoneman Elementary

Daniel Yoshio Haley
Mt. Diablo Unified SD
El Dorado Middle

Judy Jernigan
Lafayette SD
Lafayette SD Schools

Kristyn Loy
West Contra Costa
Unified SD
Stewart Elementary

Judy Mazur
Walnut Creek SD
Buena Vista Elementary

Vicki McGuire
Antioch Unified SD
Sutter Elementary

Aminta Mickles
Contra Costa Community College District
Contra Costa College

Dayle OkamitsuOrinda Union SD
Wagner Ranch Elementary

Lawrence Pang
West Contra Costa
Unified SD
El Cerrito High

Deborah Guillén Rocchild
John Swett Unified SD
John Swett High

Juliet Simens
Brentwood Union SD
Pioneer Elementary

Angela Taylor
CCCOE
Parole Education

Sarah Vieira
Byron Union SD
Timber Point Elementary

2016-2017 County District Teachers of the Year

Note regarding eligible participants:

Seventeen of the eighteen Contra Costa County school districts represented (plus the CCCOE) are participating in this year’s TOY program.

Each year, one instructor from Contra Costa Community College District is submitted to the TOY program for his/her outstanding body of work with their designated college. The colleges rotate each year between Diablo Valley, Los Medanos, and Contra Costa. This year, it is Los Medanos College's turn. (These instructors do not compete in the State Teacher of the Year competition.)

Due to the larger number of students in their districts, West Contra Costa USD, Mt. Diablo USD, and San Ramon Valley USD are allowed to select two TOY candidates.

About the Teacher of the Year Program

In 1972, California began recognizing
outstanding teachers, establishing the Teachers of the Year Program.
This program is open to all teachers in public & private schools
who teacher pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Contra Costa
County has participated in the program since its beginning, when
Joseph E. Davis, Jr., of the Acalanes Union High School District,
was named the county's first representative.

Since that time, four teachers from
this county have been State finalists: Janet Neill, San Ramon Valley
Unified (1975); David Eakin, John Swett Unified (1981); William Thomas,
Mt. Diablo Unified (1982); and Janice Bergamini, Mt. Diablo Unified
(1991). In addition, William Pence, San Ramon Valley Unified (1999),
was selected to represent California at the National Teacher of the
Year level. And, in the last two years, the County has had two other
state representatives  Mary Allan, Antioch Unified (2001) and
Janet Gower, Mt. Diablo Unified (2002). For a list of all of the Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Representatives please click here.

The county's TOY program is directed by the CCCOE. With such a high caliber of teaching professionals to draw from, the CCCOE’s TOY program uses a three-stage selection process, with a point and percentage system to determine the final candidate as follows:

I Application Screening:

On April 8, a committee of 11, representing the county’s education, business, and public-sector partners meticulously reviewed the applications submitted by the school districts. This committee independently rated each application. After the application screening and scoring were completed, five teachers were selected to advance to the next phase as semifinalists.

II Classroom Observation and Interview:

During the weeks of late April and early May, a small committee of education specialists and business partners will observe the semifinalists interacting with their students. Immediately following, the committee interviews the candidates, discussing topics such as their teaching philosophy and techniques. The results of the two screening processes are then combined to determine the four finalists.

III Speech Presentation:

This coming August, the four TOY finalists will each give a three- to five-minute speech to another panel of a dozen educators, business, and public-sector representatives who will judge the finalists on their speech and presentation skills.

On the evening of September 22, 2016, all 21 TOYs, accompanied by their families, friends, and co-workers (an audience of approximately 400) will be honored at the annual Teacher of the Year Dinner Celebration, held at the Hilton Concord. Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Karen Sakata, who serves as master of ceremonies, introduces the TOYs by sharing a special story that reflects his classroom visits of each teacher during the recent spring and summer months. This will be followed by the four finalists giving their three- to five-minute speeches (same speeches given in August) to the filled banquet room. The excitement-filled evening will come to a dramatic close with the announcement of the 2016-2017 Contra Costa County Teachesr of the Year.

The County representatives are announced at the Awards
Dinner in September at a gala affair that honors each district's
Teacher of the Year. Local business and community organizations generously
donate classroom grants, services and other items to each of the district
winners.

Honor Our Teachers: Donate to the
Teachers of the Year Program

There are four major categories or levels
for donating to the TOY Program:

Visionaries: $5,000 to $10,000 range

Benefactors: $1,000 to $4,999 range

Sponsors: $500 to $999 range

Contributors: $499 or below in amount or services

Most sponsors earmark their grants for the teachers'
classrooms or schools; Contra Costa Newspapers, Inc. sponsors the dinner
itself, and the cost of dinner for each of the Teachers of the Year and
three of their guests.